<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Star-Crossed Enemies by phenoob</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266783">Star-Crossed Enemies</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/phenoob/pseuds/phenoob'>phenoob</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work, Romeo And Juliet - Shakespeare</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Arranged Marriage, Death, Ficlet, Gen, Gender-Undefined Characters, Original Fiction, Original Mythology, Parody, References to Shakespeare, Trope Subversion/Inversion, obviously</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:02:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>328</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26266783</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/phenoob/pseuds/phenoob</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of Mor and Luj, mortal enemies from friendly houses.</p><p>For my original universe, which includes a culture that values antagonism over all other relationships. I thought it would be fun if they had a different take on the Romeo and Juliet story.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Character(s) &amp; Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Star-Crossed Enemies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Again, technically original worldbuilding and characters, but since everything is borrowed or inverted down to the minor details it seemed best to tag it like a Shakespeare fanwork.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>All sea folk know the tale of Mor and Luj, ill-fated foes that brought ruin to the stormy city of Ovenar.</p><p>Mor and Luj were young heirs to Ovenar's two greatest Lords: Mor, to Lord Teluc, and Luj, to Lord Ugam. Houses Teluc and Ugam had a long, bitter rivalry which kindled a fierce pride in the hearts of both their charges.</p><p>Then the Plague ravaged Ovenar, and the Houses were forced to to entreat, to share and conserve their remaining might. Mor and Luj would be wed to officiate the truce.</p><p>No sooner were the young heirs betrothed than they became enemies. They hated each other with a passion that burned brighter than duty to House, Lord or life itself. All members of the two Houses, from Lord to lowly servant, convened regularly at diplomatic tables and halls of revelry--all except two. Mor, 'busy training,' would be testing blades on an effigy painted with Luj's House crest. Luj, 'indisposed,' would have retreated to the balcony to pace feverishly and plot Mor's untimely destruction.</p><p>By the day of the wedding ceremony, neither Mor nor Luj could bear to marry, so each resolved to kill the other instead. The marriage rites would take place atop a sky-high podium, starting with the couple drinking holy wine, followed by shedding each other's ceremonial robes. Luj slipped spikefish venom into Mor's wine. Mor hid a thin-bladed dagger in the folds of Luj's robe.</p><p>The rites began with grim anticipation from all sides. Luj's poison quickened even before the robes were undone, but just before succumbing, Mor caught hold of the dagger and plunged it into Luj's heart. Mor and Luj both fell down dead.</p><p>The truce was ruined. The great Houses were ruined. Eventually, the city itself was ruined, taken by sea. All that remains of Ovenar is a podium where two skeletons lie sheltered from the waves. Mor and Luj, foes eternal, intertwined in a last battle to the death.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>